Pharmacists in England report that the cost of common medicines, including painkillers and hay fever treatments, has risen by 20-30% since February due to the war in Iran. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) says some pharmacies have run out of certain strengths of aspirin and co-codamol, while paracetamol and cetirizine tablets have seen significant price hikes.
The conflict has increased manufacturing and transport costs, with petrol and diesel prices rising since the war began nearly eight weeks ago. Pharmacies now pay 40-50% more to order stock, and air freight costs have doubled. The war has also disrupted supplies of petroleum derivatives from the Gulf, used to make many medications.
Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, said his pharmacy in Berkshire was unable to order paracetamol on 27 March, and when it became available, the wholesale price had doubled. The price for a pack of 100 500mg paracetamol tablets jumped from 41p to £1.99 by the end of March, later easing to £1.09. This has led to higher over-the-counter prices for patients.
Picard warned that allergy sufferers could face further price increases by May or June, when the main hay fever season begins. He advised against panic buying and stockpiling, which could worsen shortages. The NPA also noted that 1,400 community pharmacies have closed since 2020, with closures continuing at a rate of one or two per week.
The government reimburses pharmacies for NHS prescriptions at fixed prices, but a record 230 items were on a price concessions list in March, including blood pressure and anxiety drugs. However, paracetamol and cetirizine were not included, meaning pharmacies may dispense them at a loss. Higher supplier prices also increase the NHS medicines bill.
